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Which headphone amp?
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Catcher10 View Drop Down
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Points: 17845 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Catcher10 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 22 2020 at 13:05
Originally posted by Davesax1965 Davesax1965 wrote:

Regarding noise floor. 

I switch on a Korg MS synth I had (used to have the original, now I have the reissue, which is SMD and not TTL, I can hear the difference) and because of the inherent filter design, I can hear noise. Or. I pick up one of my guitars with P90 pickups in it, there's noise as well. Inherent noise.

If you listen to a 70's recording, there's inherent noise in it. Valve amps, old pickups, bad electronics. 

So how, can I ask, can you tell "original recording noise" from "modern hi fi amp noise" ?

And why oh why oh why does it matter if you can or not ? Given the cost of reducing it. 

If noise is present in the original recording and in the mastering process a de-hisser was not used then yes, you should hear it. I don't like de-hissing because you are removing content regardless, I say leave it alone. Listen to an original pressing of ItCOtCK, its well known the tape heads were dirty, not aligned well and the recording was lacking upper freq so it has a veiled sound, but it is what it is.
IMO, if you do not hear this noise in your system then you have work to do in the synergy of your audio gear, it's not picking up what is actually there...
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jamessavik View Drop Down
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I wanted a Schitt Audio Modi/Magni combo DAC/Headphone amp, but I could never get them to ship it. They were having supply chain issues.

My next infatuation was with the Cambridge Audio DAC Magic 200, but I couldn't make myself pay that much.

Finally, I purchased an iFi Zen 2. Matched with an Audio-Technica ATX50, it works fine and didn't leave my wallet smoking.
There might have been things I missed
But don't be unkind
It don't mean I'm blind
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Catcher10 View Drop Down
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Points: 17845 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Catcher10 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 15 2022 at 14:46
Originally posted by jamessavik jamessavik wrote:

I wanted a Schitt Audio Modi/Magni combo DAC/Headphone amp, but I could never get them to ship it. They were having supply chain issues.

My next infatuation was with the Cambridge Audio DAC Magic 200, but I couldn't make myself pay that much.

Finally, I purchased an iFi Zen 2. Matched with an Audio-Technica ATX50, it works fine and didn't leave my wallet smoking.

iFi makes nice gear....
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I've got a couple of headphone amps. A iFi Hip DAC and a Cyrus Soundkey. Usage depends on the situation. I use the Hip DAC with Audio-Technica ATH-MSR7b headphones with balanced connection. The Cyrus I use with AKG K92s. I use an Android phone with the brilliant USB Audio Player PRO app. Stream music from my NAS for local and remote connections.
Oh, for the wings of any bird, other than a battery hen
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David_D View Drop Down
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Points: 15087 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote David_D Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 04 2023 at 09:36

Rega Ear, surely a nice mid-range amp


Edited by David_D - February 05 2023 at 09:03
                      quality over quantity, and all kind of PopcoRn almost beyond
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progbethyname View Drop Down
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Points: 7849 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote progbethyname Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 04 2023 at 10:30



Loving my Woo Audio WA22 even as a Pre amp with my D-8000 headphones. It is magic.
Gimmie my headphones now!!! 🎧🤣
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David_D View Drop Down
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Points: 15087 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote David_D Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 04 2023 at 14:06
Originally posted by progbethyname progbethyname wrote:

Loving my Woo Audio WA22 even as a Pre amp with my D-8000 headphones. It is magic.

Wow!, that's really nice stuff - even also quite another way to experience music than with loudspeakers.




Edited by David_D - February 04 2023 at 15:54
                      quality over quantity, and all kind of PopcoRn almost beyond
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progbethyname View Drop Down
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Points: 7849 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote progbethyname Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 04 2023 at 16:16
Originally posted by David_D David_D wrote:

Originally posted by progbethyname progbethyname wrote:

Loving my Woo Audio WA22 even as a Pre amp with my D-8000 headphones. It is magic.


Wow!, that's really nice stuff - even also quite another way to experience music than with loudspeakers.








You got it. The alternatives in audio listening are better than ever.
Very grateful.
Gimmie my headphones now!!! 🎧🤣
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David_D View Drop Down
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Points: 15087 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote David_D Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 05 2023 at 02:47
Originally posted by progbethyname progbethyname wrote:

Loving my Woo Audio WA22 even as a Pre amp with my D-8000 headphones. It is magic.

Actually, I listen only to CDs with headphones (in the evenings), and directly from CD-player with the Rega Ear as the only amp.
                      quality over quantity, and all kind of PopcoRn almost beyond
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David_D View Drop Down
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Points: 15087 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote David_D Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 05 2023 at 06:42
Originally posted by progbethyname progbethyname wrote:

Originally posted by David_D David_D wrote:

Originally posted by progbethyname progbethyname wrote:

Loving my Woo Audio WA22 even as a Pre amp with my D-8000 headphones. It is magic.
Wow!, that's really nice stuff - even also quite another way to experience music than with loudspeakers.
You got it. The alternatives in audio listening are better than ever.
Very grateful.

So are you only listening to music with headphones?
                      quality over quantity, and all kind of PopcoRn almost beyond
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David_D View Drop Down
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Points: 15087 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote David_D Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 05 2023 at 07:48

These are the headphones I use with Rega Ear - Grado SR225i:


They're a good couple except from the headphones are very sensitive while the amp is very powerful,
so I have to set the volume very low and it's a bit difficult to adjust to the best level.
                      quality over quantity, and all kind of PopcoRn almost beyond
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progbethyname View Drop Down
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Points: 7849 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote progbethyname Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 05 2023 at 16:12
Originally posted by David_D David_D wrote:

Originally posted by progbethyname progbethyname wrote:

Loving my Woo Audio WA22 even as a Pre amp with my D-8000 headphones. It is magic.


Actually, I listen only to CDs with headphones (in the evenings), and directly from CD-player with the Rega Ear as the only amp.


Hi David. Yup. I’m the same. I’m an old school purist who listens to whole albums. I love my CDs which is why I bought the Cyrus CD i complete with its own unique power supply.
The Brit’s sure can build great HIFI equipment

Gimmie my headphones now!!! 🎧🤣
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progbethyname View Drop Down
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Points: 7849 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote progbethyname Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 05 2023 at 16:15
Originally posted by David_D David_D wrote:

Originally posted by progbethyname progbethyname wrote:

Originally posted by David_D David_D wrote:

Originally posted by progbethyname progbethyname wrote:

Loving my Woo Audio WA22 even as a Pre amp with my D-8000 headphones. It is magic.
Wow!, that's really nice stuff - even also quite another way to experience music than with loudspeakers.
You got it. The alternatives in audio listening are better than ever.
Very grateful.


So are you only listening to music with headphones?



No. I have a cheap home theater 5.1 audio system for surround sound.
I love that audio codec a lot. I buy blu ray audio of any band I like.

But the real kicker is that I treat my living room for sound with acoustic panels. Makes things sound natural and less reflective. Pretty important
Gimmie my headphones now!!! 🎧🤣
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Grumpyprogfan View Drop Down
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Points: 11553 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Grumpyprogfan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 05 2023 at 17:28
Originally posted by progbethyname progbethyname wrote:

But the real kicker is that I treat my living room for sound with acoustic panels. Makes things sound natural and less reflective. Pretty important
Bravo! This is the most important element for any listening environment.
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progbethyname View Drop Down
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Points: 7849 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote progbethyname Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 06 2023 at 03:09
Originally posted by Grumpyprogfan Grumpyprogfan wrote:

Originally posted by progbethyname progbethyname wrote:

But the real kicker is that I treat my living room for sound with acoustic panels. Makes things sound natural and less reflective. Pretty important
Bravo! This is the most important element for any listening environment.



The room is a member of the band.
Gimmie my headphones now!!! 🎧🤣
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David_D View Drop Down
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Points: 15087 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote David_D Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 06 2023 at 06:37
Originally posted by progbethyname progbethyname wrote:

I’m an old school purist who listens to whole albums. 

That's what I always do as well, and I don't even consider it to be particularly puristic - just the more serious music listening. Smile

Originally posted by progbethyname progbethyname wrote:

The Brit’s sure can build great HIFI equipment 

Yes, indeed! 


Edited by David_D - February 06 2023 at 12:07
                      quality over quantity, and all kind of PopcoRn almost beyond
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David_D View Drop Down
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Points: 15087 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote David_D Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 06 2023 at 06:40
Originally posted by progbethyname progbethyname wrote:

But the real kicker is that I treat my living room for sound with acoustic panels. Makes things sound natural and less reflective. Pretty important
 

I find that kind of room stuff better than equalizers.
                      quality over quantity, and all kind of PopcoRn almost beyond
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David_D View Drop Down
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Points: 15087 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote David_D Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 06 2023 at 14:42
Originally posted by David_D David_D wrote:

Originally posted by progbethyname progbethyname wrote:

I’m an old school purist who listens to whole albums. 

That's what I always do as well, and I don't even consider it to be particularly puristic - just the more serious music listening. Smile
That is except from a number of albums longer than 50 minutes where I listen to a shorter, 40-50 minutes, version I program on my CD-player. - I do it actually with quite a lot of albums, and it's the main reason for my buying CDs.


Edited by David_D - February 06 2023 at 15:54
                      quality over quantity, and all kind of PopcoRn almost beyond
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David_D View Drop Down
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Points: 15087 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote David_D Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 07 2023 at 06:29
Originally posted by David_D David_D wrote:

That is except from a number of albums longer than 50 minutes where I listen to a shorter, 40-50 minutes, version I program on my CD-player. - I do it actually with quite a lot of albums, and it's the main reason for my buying CDs.

When that is said, I have to tell, I'm very fond of some of the CD-releases I've bought. Smile
                      quality over quantity, and all kind of PopcoRn almost beyond
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progbethyname View Drop Down
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Points: 7849 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote progbethyname Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 07 2023 at 16:59
Originally posted by David_D David_D wrote:

Originally posted by David_D David_D wrote:

That is except from a number of albums longer than 50 minutes where I listen to a shorter, 40-50 minutes, version I program on my CD-player. - I do it actually with quite a lot of albums, and it's the main reason for my buying CDs.





When that is said, I have to tell, I'm very fond of some of the CD-releases I've bought. Smile



Terrific to hear.
Actually the newest CD I bought is Riverside’s I.D Entity. Sounds very reasonable. The fidelity that is. Obviously not the best I’ve heard, but fidelity wise I can enjoy it and enjoy it quite loud.

Another band that records reasonably well is Gazpacho. They have great sounding CDs.
You can put those on your amp set to 11! :)
Gimmie my headphones now!!! 🎧🤣
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